Hump Day Review: Rollins, Soccer Fans, and more
It’s a short week for most of the Monday through Friday, 9-to-5 folks out there, so the weekend is right around the corner. In fact, you’ve probably zoned out for the week about an hour ago, didn’t you? So, whether it’s a Hump Day or not, my weekly look at sports marches on.
Week-in-Review:
Drop JRoll Down. A 4-day vacation really did a lot for Jimmy Rollins, who went 0-for-5 Tuesday night in a game the Phillies lost in extra innings. It’s time to drop Rollins to sixth in the lineup, and leave him there. Putting him there for one game thinking he’s suddenly gotten some type of message is a joke.
Rollins simply isn’t a leadoff hitter. He doesn’t take pitches, and doesn’t even seem to comprehend the need for a leadoff hitter to do so. He also doesn’t steal anywhere near enough bases (regardless of Chris Wheeler’s mindless “you don’t want to distract the hitters” rants). Every time he’s been dropped in the lineup, he seems to show signs of life.
Besides, Shane Victorino has more speed, which is what most look for in a leadoff hitter anyway.
The Latest Flyer Savior. Stop me if you’ve heard this before – the Flyers are Cup-bound now that they’ve acquired . . . Ok, thought so. Don’t get me wrong, I hope Chris Pronger leads the boys down Broad Street, but I’m tired of hearing Flyer fans getting all excited in the off-season.
Soccer fans should chill. The U.S. national soccer team made it to the finals of something called the Confederations Cup, and fans of the sport are puffing out there chests. Here’s a quote from the Inquirer in a piece by Jonathan Tannenwald - the guy who, by the way, put my link in their Blog Roll, so I’m actually a big fan. “Today, you’re getting something completely different. Soccer. Yeah, that's right, soccer. The sport everyone else calls football while wondering why macho Americans play a game with helmets and shoulder pads. Now before you start asking why The Inquirer let Page 2 get hijacked by a French-speaking yuppie with a blog, just hear me out for a minute or two. The lingerie football photos will still be on Philly.com when I'm done. Soccer is going to be a big deal in Philadelphia, and sooner than you think.”
This is a perfect example of why I think a lot of fans of the more popular sports get turned off by soccer and hockey. Fans of those sports want to somehow gloat that most of the world likes their sports better than football and baseball.
I don’t hate either sport. I get that they take athleticism and endurance to play, probably more so than the other sports. I’ve watched large portions of games, including entire playoff hockey series. They’re perfectly fine sports.
But their fans need to get over the fact that other sports are more popular in the United States and always will be. Soccer comes off too slow on television. In fact, soccer, or futbol, fans seem to think it’s pretty slow in person since they spend the entire game amusing themselves with chants and those annoying horns. Hockey will not be saved by high-def television as some have speculated because seeing the puck go in the net is only part of it’s problem. Too many goals seem like a fluke when they go in.
Enjoy the World Cup, Stanley Cup, and whatever else they got going on. Just stop whining about the rest of us watching football.
Still not happy. I already noted my displeasure with the Sixers drafting Jrue Holiday, so I won’t rehash that. I am almost as perplexed by the reaction of fans, however, as I am with the pick itself. The notion of building with a young core seems just fine for many. So, what was signing Elton Brand all about? Better yet, what have the last 3 or 4 years been all about?
J.C. Romero shoves back. Phils pitcher J.C. Romero allegedly shoved a fan when the guy made a wise-crack about the pitcher’s suspension for steroid use after Romero didn’t sign an autograph. I really couldn’t care less about this guy getting shoved. Any adult asking for an autograph is a dope anyway, probably looking to sell it, and getting what I’m guessing were beer muscles after being rebuffed is just pathetic. Unless something more comes out, there is no way this should go anywhere in our legal system already overloaded with people looking for a money grab.
Week-in-Review:
Drop JRoll Down. A 4-day vacation really did a lot for Jimmy Rollins, who went 0-for-5 Tuesday night in a game the Phillies lost in extra innings. It’s time to drop Rollins to sixth in the lineup, and leave him there. Putting him there for one game thinking he’s suddenly gotten some type of message is a joke.
Rollins simply isn’t a leadoff hitter. He doesn’t take pitches, and doesn’t even seem to comprehend the need for a leadoff hitter to do so. He also doesn’t steal anywhere near enough bases (regardless of Chris Wheeler’s mindless “you don’t want to distract the hitters” rants). Every time he’s been dropped in the lineup, he seems to show signs of life.
Besides, Shane Victorino has more speed, which is what most look for in a leadoff hitter anyway.
The Latest Flyer Savior. Stop me if you’ve heard this before – the Flyers are Cup-bound now that they’ve acquired . . . Ok, thought so. Don’t get me wrong, I hope Chris Pronger leads the boys down Broad Street, but I’m tired of hearing Flyer fans getting all excited in the off-season.
Soccer fans should chill. The U.S. national soccer team made it to the finals of something called the Confederations Cup, and fans of the sport are puffing out there chests. Here’s a quote from the Inquirer in a piece by Jonathan Tannenwald - the guy who, by the way, put my link in their Blog Roll, so I’m actually a big fan. “Today, you’re getting something completely different. Soccer. Yeah, that's right, soccer. The sport everyone else calls football while wondering why macho Americans play a game with helmets and shoulder pads. Now before you start asking why The Inquirer let Page 2 get hijacked by a French-speaking yuppie with a blog, just hear me out for a minute or two. The lingerie football photos will still be on Philly.com when I'm done. Soccer is going to be a big deal in Philadelphia, and sooner than you think.”
This is a perfect example of why I think a lot of fans of the more popular sports get turned off by soccer and hockey. Fans of those sports want to somehow gloat that most of the world likes their sports better than football and baseball.
I don’t hate either sport. I get that they take athleticism and endurance to play, probably more so than the other sports. I’ve watched large portions of games, including entire playoff hockey series. They’re perfectly fine sports.
But their fans need to get over the fact that other sports are more popular in the United States and always will be. Soccer comes off too slow on television. In fact, soccer, or futbol, fans seem to think it’s pretty slow in person since they spend the entire game amusing themselves with chants and those annoying horns. Hockey will not be saved by high-def television as some have speculated because seeing the puck go in the net is only part of it’s problem. Too many goals seem like a fluke when they go in.
Enjoy the World Cup, Stanley Cup, and whatever else they got going on. Just stop whining about the rest of us watching football.
Still not happy. I already noted my displeasure with the Sixers drafting Jrue Holiday, so I won’t rehash that. I am almost as perplexed by the reaction of fans, however, as I am with the pick itself. The notion of building with a young core seems just fine for many. So, what was signing Elton Brand all about? Better yet, what have the last 3 or 4 years been all about?
J.C. Romero shoves back. Phils pitcher J.C. Romero allegedly shoved a fan when the guy made a wise-crack about the pitcher’s suspension for steroid use after Romero didn’t sign an autograph. I really couldn’t care less about this guy getting shoved. Any adult asking for an autograph is a dope anyway, probably looking to sell it, and getting what I’m guessing were beer muscles after being rebuffed is just pathetic. Unless something more comes out, there is no way this should go anywhere in our legal system already overloaded with people looking for a money grab.
Comments
Rob,
Agree - Rollins should be hitting 7th at this point. Vic is not an ideal solution but anything is better than Jroll until he finds a way out of this. Give him 3 weeks at 7 and see how he does.
Soccer - I still don't care
Sixers - Do they play in Philly?
Romero - sticks and stones
Since I made my proclamation on JRoll, his batting average has increased by 29 points.
They really need to make Hamels the 5th starter and send Lidge to Clearwater.
I am hoping that the same karma holds!